Plan to lift families out of fuel poverty unveiled

The city council said Stoke-on-Trent had the second highest rate of fuel poverty in England

An £8.8m investment in central heating systems for social housing has been announced as part of a five-year plan supporting Stoke-on-Trent residents living in fuel poverty.

The strategy unveiled by the city council also includes £15m to install energy efficiency measures in homes owned by the authority.

An estimated 22.1% of local households were living in fuel poverty, compared to the 13.4% national average, it said.

The city council said it had "the second highest rate of fuel poverty in England".

The 2023-2028 Fuel Poverty Strategy is to be considered by the council cabinet at a meeting on 12 December.

It outlines the authority's plan to address the root causes of fuel poverty in the city by working closely with partners to provide help, advice and support to struggling families.

Campaign to tackle damp

Work has recently been completed to upgrade 74 properties in Smallthorne with external wall insulation, windows, doors, roofs and ventilation systems.

The project was funded through the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund.

Cabinet member for housing, regeneration and planning Chris Robinson said the council had recently launched a campaign to tackle damp, mould and condensation.

He added: "Now we want to continue to raise living standards in the city by making much-needed improvements to our housing stock and, in the long-term, reduce the number of families living in fuel poverty."

The final strategy has been developed following a public consultation in the autumn.

As well as a commitment to improving the council's housing stock, the strategy also recognises the need to raise energy efficiency standards in newly-built homes and support fuel-poor residents in privately-owned homes.